


how lin got with a cloud baby (no, not that one)

by katwow



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Pre-Series, Stressed Lin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:40:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27710162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katwow/pseuds/katwow
Summary: Lin travels to a faraway nation, makes peace with her ex, falls into bed with a childhood friend, glares at homophobes and learns about love. Not necessarily in that order.
Relationships: Lin Beifong/Kya II
Comments: 10
Kudos: 121





	how lin got with a cloud baby (no, not that one)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sleazyjanet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleazyjanet/gifts).



> for the wonderful @sleazyjanet ! I basically took her smirky sexy kya ii hc and ran with it for this (read 'come on snake, lets rattle' for more lmao). 
> 
> enjoy!

Lin unfurled the ornate scroll on her desk, sinking back in her chair. It unrolled to reveal just what she was dreading - an invitation to Iroh II’s upcoming wedding. She groaned, willing away the tiredness from deep in her bones as she allowed her shoulders to slump for a moment. 

Before she had fully gotten over the realisation, a young detective called her into the interrogation room to deal with a suspect. Fortunately, she didn’t have to think about stuffy airships or the uncomfortable fire nation dress she would be expected to wear until she finally tumbled out of bed the next morning. Unfortunately, the realisation hit her hard as she walked past the low table where Tenzin’s few forgotten possessions - mainly assorted meditation beads and random swathes of fabric - now rested.

She sat on the tatami mat next to the table, trying to slow her panicked breathing as she realised he would be there, the fresh and young air acolyte on his arm while she sulked in the corner. Whenever they were invited to avatar-related events this was typical, Tenzin more than happy to uphold his father’s legacy while Lin staunchly refused to speak about Toph. The other woman, however, would surely be by his side all night.

Eventually Lin picked herself up and continued getting ready as if nothing was wrong, burning her tongue on too-hot coffee as she rushed to the station. As usual, she buried herself in work, and as usual, she missed her lunch break. This wouldn’t normally be a problem, but for some reason the spirits chose today to get revenge for all the times she cursed them.

There, at the door to her office, was Kya. Energetic as always, she was carrying two cartons that smelled suspiciously of Lin’s favorite fire noodles as she strode into her office with a grin.

‘Kya, I could have you thrown into a cell for trespassing’ Lin growled, fingers at her temples as she tried not to give in to the delicious smell.

‘Oh Lin, don’t be so uptight. The receptionist let me in, which means he knows as well as I do that you’re in one of your moods.’ She placed the food atop Lin’s pile of half-read reports, kicking her feet onto the desk as she picked her way through the noodles.

Lin scowled at Kya’s confidence that flowed, as always, easy as water. Reluctantly, she picked up the carton and her chopsticks as Kya gave a dramatic retelling of her trip to the station. Lin felt some of the weight of the past few weeks lift slightly as she allowed herself to slip back into her role as the side character to Kya’s many adventures.

Soon, bored of Lin’s disinterested responses, Kya began poking around her desk. Under scroll after scroll of department information - ‘that’s classified, snowflake' - she unearths the dreaded invitation.

‘Oooh, what’s this! It looks fancy,’ she teases, smirking over the top of the unravelled paper. ‘Chief Beifong, we humbly invite you to our matrimonial ceremonies and hope you deem it appropriate to attend -’

‘Give me that.’ Lin grumbles, peering over the calligraphy only to find that Kya was making fun of her. ‘What, you didn’t get invited?’

‘Probably not.’ Kya shrugs, picking up her carton and chopsticks once again. ‘Most Fire Nation functions can only handle one cloud baby at a time, and seeing as Tenzin is the most responsible…’ Kya shrugged as she shoved an inappropriate portion of noodles into her mouth.

Lin balked at the thought of seeing him again after only a few weeks apart. She wasn’t sure if Kya knew about the break up, or if she even wanted Kya to know at this point.

She avoided eye contact, huffing into her noodles as she ate with scarcely more composure than Kya. Of course, Kya noticed and raised an eyebrow at Lin.

‘How’s Tenzin treating you these days?’ she asked, a rare show of investment in Lin’s love life.

‘Not as well as he’s treating his new air acolyte girlfriend,’ Lin huffed, avoiding Kya’s concerned gaze.

‘I always knew you were too good for him, but I never guessed he would be the one to break it off!’ Lin steadfastly ignored the anxious lurch of her stomach at Kya’s words. ‘Next time I visit Air Temple Island, I’ll have a few things to say to him!’ she sounded angry, the childhood rivalry between the two siblings reemerging with ease.

‘Whatever.’ Lin growled, turning her attention back to her food. 

Kya paused for a moment, thinking. ‘Surely Tenzin will invite his new girl to this thing, right?’

‘Yes,’ Lin was not grateful for the reminder.

‘And you’ll be forced to attend as a symbol of international harmony.’ She continued.

‘Yes.’

‘Well, how would you like to have a surprising yet friendly date? I’m happy to be your arm candy for the night, and I’ve never actually been to a Fire Nation Wedding before… At least not an official one.’

Lin’s mind was racing, weighing up the possible outcomes of Kya’s suggestion. Yes, she was sure to cause a little tension pretending to date a woman, but did that really outweigh the satisfaction of having one over Tenzin after their disastrous break up?

‘Fine, snowflake. I hope you like Fire Nation formalwear, you’ll be sweating through it soon enough.’ 

Kya smiled mischievously, clearly pleased at the opportunity to turn heads. She turned the conversation to her recent successes scamming tourists visiting the Southern Water Tribe, reminding Lin thoroughly of her own mother. Soon enough, she packed up the impromptu lunch and left Lin to her reports.

The next time Lin thought about the wedding, it was, of course, Kya’s fault. She had burst into Lin's small apartment on her first day off in weeks, throwing open blinds and windows as if she owned the place. Lin winced at the sudden light, embarrassed at the messy state of her apartment and the striking force of Kya’s presence in comparison to her.

‘We’re going shopping!’ Kya proclaimed, a hard set to her mouth but a smile in her eyes. She made coffee in the kitchen while Lin got ready. Lin was surprised to realise that despite the chaotic way Kya whirled into Lin’s life, she didn’t quite mind it.

Everything changed when they visited the Fire Nation boutique.

Lin always insisted on keeping a low profile in her civilian life, keeping out of the public eye as much as humanly possible. Kya, on the other hand, revelled in any and all public attention, showing off in her modified Water Tribe robes and waterbending for children in the park. It’s no surprise, then, that when the shopkeeper approaches them to offer help, Kya isn’t shy about their supposed ‘relationship’.

‘I’m her date to a Fire Nation wedding, we’re looking for something formal yet comfortable. I’m from the Water Tribes so I’ll need something light if I want to survive the heat!’ Kya exudes charm, yet the shopkeeper immediately frowns at the pair.

‘You’re going together? As a couple?’ the middle aged woman eyes them suspiciously. Lin felt something protective and angry flare in her gut, but before she could respond, Kya was grabbing her hand and raising her shoulders defensively.

‘Yeah. Is that gonna be a problem?’ she smiled, sickly-sweet and sharklike, daring the woman to challenge them. She immediately shrunk back into herself, pointing half-heartedly at the racks of red and gold fabric. 

‘Here is our summer range. Let me know if you need a hand,’ she turned away, a confused mix of resigned and offended playing across her face.

After a painfully long hour trying on clothes with the begrudging help of the shopkeeper, they returned to the streets. Lin was, of course, carrying all the bags while Kya filled the silence with broad gestures and yet another larger-than-life story.

Once they stumbled back to Lin’s apartment and stowed the bags in the closet, Lin finally emerged from the strange daze she found herself in after meeting the shopkeeper.

‘What in Yangchen’s name was that?’ Lin growled, suddenly furious. Kya jumped at the sudden change of tone, flushing the barest of red beneath her dark skin. 

‘I’m sorry Lin. I should have warned you.’ Lin didn’t like the way Kya suddenly retreated into herself, speaking softly towards the floor.

Lin softened her words, suddenly conscious of the hurt across Kya’s face. ‘This wasn’t your fault, Kya. I can’t believe people are still like that in Republic City. Shows how far we’ve come,’ she huffed disapprovingly. She internally preened at the small smile on Kya’s face.

‘At least in the Water Tribe, they allow gay people to exist, even if they don’t necessarily want to see it.’ Kya explained softly, as if she was offering Lin a piece of herself. ‘Travelling the Earth Kingdom was… A learning experience, to say the least.’

Her heart broke for her friend as she realised the enormity of what she was confiding. She straightened with a fierce surge of protectiveness. She resisted the urge to wrap her arms around the other woman, or worse, and busied herself preparing some rice.

After a few minutes, she found the right words to say. ‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ she said softly, ‘I didn’t know you had such a hard time in your travels.’ 

‘I’m used to it, don’t worry.’ Kya turned her attention to the food. They passed the night slowly, Kya hesitating in the door before retreating back to her hotel while Lin insisted she could take the couch for the night. Lin was, curiously, sad to see her go.

Before she knew it, Lin was at the ports waiting impatiently for Kya. She was weighed down by the many sets of robes they bought for the ceremony, and while not surprised by Kya’s lateness she was hoping that her ‘partner’ would make the effort for once.

After another 15 minutes standing by the sea, Kya rushed over, sunglasses on with a small bag at her side.

‘I’m so sorry I’m late!’ she cries, kissing Lin square on the mouth.

Lin blushes furiously, never one for public displays of affection, and picks up her bags as they make their way to the airship. ‘You always say that, and yet here we are.’ she grumbled, grumpy as always.

Kya launches into the usual convoluted excuse, this time involving a burst water pipe that she somehow got involved in. Lin found her mind wandering back to the kiss as they settled into their cabin, going so far as to touch her lips dramatically once Kya’s back was turned.

Lin had a hard time during takeoff as she lost the majority of her seismic sense, but Kya, used to it at this point, just held her hand and provided a soothing layer of chatter to keep Lin distracted.

Eventually, she loosened her grip on Kya’s hand and acclimated to the sensory deficit. Kya quietened, waiting for Lin to say what was on her mind. 

After a beat, Lin bites. ‘Why did you kiss me at the port?’ she asks, grumpiness betrayed by the slight flush of her features. 

‘Oh, honey, I know you don’t like PDA but I wanted to make up for being late!’ She proclaimed jokingly. She continued, ‘if we’re gonna sell this, people will be expecting us to be comfortable with physical intimacy.’

Lin paused for a moment, hesitant to push the point. ‘We should set some rules, then. I have a feeling we have different approaches to relationships.’

Kya smirked. ‘Is this okay?’ she reached for Lin’s hand, resting hers atop it on her thigh. When Lin nodded, she continued. ‘How about this?’ she placed one hand on Lin’s cheek, cradling it with a gentleness so foreign to Lin and placing the other on her waist. Lin struggled to maintain her even breathing and leant so slightly into Kya’s hand as she nodded. ‘And for the finale…’ Kya leaned in and kissed her deeply in the middle of their cabin.

Lin, deciding she wouldn’t be beat, dragged Kya bodily into her lap and let her hands rest on her hips. It was more than pleasant to be this close to someone again, and she lost herself in the kiss as it deepened.

Suddenly, the door slammed open and Bumi, completely shell shocked, stood in the corridor. 

‘Bumi!’ Kya exclaimed, climbing gracefully off Lin’s lap. ‘I didn’t think you’d be coming!’

‘Kya! Finally shacked up with Beifong eh?’ Bumi grinned widely at Lin. ‘About time!’

Lin supposed this was some inside joke between the two and stood to adjust her clothes. ‘Bumi, how lovely to see you.’ She bowed slightly in greeting.

‘You’re looking radiant as always chief! Don’t worry, I’ll keep this between the three of us.’ He smiled wickedly. 

‘Not that it isn’t great to see you, but I think you can tell we were in the middle of something.’ Kya smirked as Lin flushed a bright red.

‘Oh! Of course, I’ll catch you later!’ He closed the door firmly behind him. 

They turned to each other again, any tension in Lin’s mind disappearing as Kya smirked at her.

‘I’m assuming all that was okay, then?’ Lin nodded. ‘I think we’ll be fine!’ Kya grinned mischievously at Lin as she grabbed her bag and strutted into the corridor.

Lin, loath to interact with the other supposedly important people on the airship, passed the afternoon reading. Once the light grew far too dim to continue, she headed to the restaurant section of the ship. 

It was easy to spot Kya, a shining spot in the middle of the room, gesturing widely for an audience of bureaucrats and various nobility. They were all entranced by her, hanging onto her every word.

She leant against the doorframe, drinking in the scene before her. While Lin usually relegated Kya’s words to background chatter, she could appreciate how the waterbender fed off the emotions of the crowd. The Water Tribespeople were said to be great storytellers; Lin could certainly see why. 

Eventually, Kya spurred the story to its climax, and like a bubble bursting the crowd dispersed, laughing and chatting as they found their seats. Lin took her seat next to Kya, arm settling across the back of her chair without thought. Kya turned her wide smile on Lin and her heart stuttered violently, her mouth turning up at the corners. 

‘Hey,’ she said softly.

‘Nice of you to show up,’ Kya grinned without malice.

Lin grumbled, faking annoyance as she turned towards the steaming plate placed in front of her. They ate slowly, Kya carrying the conversation with a random couple across the table.

Well fed, they returned to their room. Kya made a wrong turn at some point and Lin hadn’t let go of the hand she grabbed to guide her. For the first time in months, Lin’s chest swooped with the possibility, only slightly dampened by the realisation this was all fake.

‘What a shame’ Kya smirked as she flicked the lights on. ‘There’s only one bed.’

Lin stalked towards her, stopping just short of touching her. ‘Looks like we’ll have to share.’ she intoned grumpily, pushing Kya to lie back on the bed.

‘Ready for more practice, chief?’ Kya blinked up at her from under her eyelashes.

‘I just needed to ask some questions…’ Lin paced to the side of the bed, perching on the edge to look right into Kya’s eyes. She placed her hand on Kya’s waist, the other hovering above her chest. ‘Is this okay?’ wide eyed, Kya nodded and leant up the slightest bit. Dropping her hand, she lowered herself until she was face to face with Kya. ‘How about this?’ Kya inhaled sharply, eyes half lidded as they met Lin’s.

Suffice to say, it was all very okay by Kya. 

When they finally emerged from their cocoon in the airship, Bumi awaited just outside. He raised an eyebrow at the lightly destroyed cabin behind them but led them off the airship with an air of smug satisfaction. As soon as they spotted Izumi, Bumi rushed over and began speaking low and fast, the pair exchanging bills where they thought Kya and Lin couldn’t see. Kya, cheerful as always, just grabbed Lin by the arm and guided her towards the Caldera. 

Once they made it to the guest house, Izumi gave them a proper welcome as she abandoned Bumi to find his own way and walked arm-in-arm with both women.

‘I must admit, I was quite sad to hear that you and Tenzin had split, Lin.’ she grinned in a way unbecoming of the Fire Lord, the usual procession of guards following mutely. ‘But I can see it was for the best.’ She led them into a large room with a four poster bed in the centre where she perched between the two. 

‘I’m on a break for my dear son’s wedding, so I do hope you both will make it worthwhile and spill all the details!’ her Fire Lord mask fell as the guards closed the doors behind them, and the trio were reduced to their teenage selves. Kya and Izumi, always giggling and goading the over-serious Lin into something ridiculous.

‘It all began one dark and steamy night, Lin was working late in the office when I came to force her to eat’ Kya started. Lin was glad she didn’t have to come up with the story, right until ‘so, being the good water healer I am, I decided to offer a massage. Lin, sweet, sexy Lin, enjoyed my handiwork a little too much and before I knew it we were exchanging fluids in a completely different way!’

‘Cut it out, Kya’ Lin blushed furiously, somehow exuding frustration, embarrassment and fondness all in one. With two pairs of eyes on her, she knew it was her turn to offer up a story. ‘The truth is… Tenzin and I had just broken up, and I was really down about it. Working late, forgetting meals, it was the usual but dialed up to eleven.’ Here, her face involuntarily went soft. ‘One day, Kya shows up in my office with fire noodles from my favorite restaurant, and as she chatters away about exploiting tourists who don’t know any better, it hits me.’

‘Oh Lin! I always knew you had a heart!’ Izumi swoons, clearly hanging onto every word as if it were some romance serial. ‘So, who asked out who?’

‘I did’ they replied in unison, turning to each other in complete betrayal.

‘I invited you to this wedding as my date!’ Lin exclaimed.

‘Yeah? I brought over your favorite food! How is that not a date!’

‘You hardly asked before you burst into my office. My receptionist is still mooning over ‘that scary water tribe chick’!’ This clearly satisfied Kya.

Izumi, sensing this was an argument with no legitimate end, stepped in to prevent further bloodshed. ‘Alright, I get it. I should’ve known you two would be as competitive romantically as you were back when we were teenagers. I still remember the drama of you mastering earthbending a whole month before you mastered water’ she gestured to each woman, eyes shining with mirth. 

‘Anyways, as much as I’d love to sit around and listen to you two bicker like an old married couple, I have brides to see and table arrangements to organise.’ she stood, pausing to regard the pair with a serious expression. 

‘On a more serious note: the Fire Nation decriminalised same-sex relationships decades ago, but some of the older and more conservative members of our community are… less than enthusiastic when they see that ruling put into action. I hardly think you two will face anything you can’t handle, but I thought I’d let you know.’ bowing slightly, she smiled that unruly smile as she backed away. ‘And be gentle: the beds in these rooms aren’t as sturdy as they look!’

Once the door closed behind the Fire Lord in all her glory, Kya began to laugh. ‘You should’ve seen your face!’ she howled. ‘It’s not like you’re some blushing virgin: I've heard the stories. Why not include a personal fantasy in the description of our epic love?’

Lin soured at that - the reminder that all this was pretend. She turned to her bags, giving her hands something to do while she avoided Kya’s gaze. 

Kya, of course, picked up on this and padded over, wrapping her arms around Lin’s waist. ‘Hey.’ she hooked her chin over Lin’s shoulder. ‘Was what you said true?’

This was what Lin hated most about Kya: the way she made her feel. It filled her chest and stomach, threatening to burst at the seams. The vulnerability left her raw, the affection chafing at the exposed part of her heart. She pushed away, muttering about the library and shutting the door firmly. 

But of course, the spirits couldn’t let her have just one hour of brooding. As soon as she turned the corner into the overlarge Fire Palace library (expanded under Fire Lord Zuko’s reign to include histories from all four nations, especially from the Air Nomads), she came face to face with Tenzin’s bald head.

‘Oh! Lin, I wasn’t expecting to see you here’ he blurted awkwardly, hand raising to scratch the back of his neck.

Behind him, a young woman in matching yellow robes approached. ‘There you are! I thought I’d lost you!’ realising they were not alone, she turned to line and balked. 

‘You must be Pema,’ Lin stated, her gruffness undercut by kindness.

‘Chief Beifong, it’s an honour to meet you!’ Pema bowed in greeting. Lin returned the gesture, finding it relatively easy in spite of the woman’s… attachment to her ex.

‘I’ll be just a moment, Pema, meet me outside’ Tenzin said not unkindly, giving Pema a reassuring smile. She bowed in farewell, hurrying out into the corridor. ‘It’s nice to see you. You look… well.’ he began awkwardly. 

‘So do you. Though I wonder how you managed to convince such a beautiful young woman to give your bald head a chance.’ 

‘Ahh, well. I hear you’re dating my sister, and I could say the same except you’re far too good for her.’ he smiled awkwardly. She appreciated that he kept up the banter even after the break up. ‘Since when did you date women, anyways?’

‘Since your sister showed up at my office with food one too many times during my breakup slump.’ here she paused, considering what Tenzin was really asking. ‘It’s thanks to her that I realised I like women just as much as men.’

Tenzin looked relieved at that. ‘I should warn my sister - you never did seem to like men all that much..’ 

‘That was just you, I think.’ She grinned - as much as a Beifong could grin. ‘Well, you better not leave Pema for too long. I’ll see you at the ceremony.’ She bowed in farewell, continuing towards the many desks that decorated the library.

Sitting down, she was able to reflect on her interaction with Tenzin. She hadn’t felt any resentment towards Pema or Tenzin, which was surprising to say the least. No, the majority of her frustration was directed at Kya.

Kya, who had driven her wild on the flight in the best way. Kya, who continued their game of chicken behind closed doors like it mattered to her. Kya, with her smirk, her storytelling. Kya Kya Kya.

It was there, pacing the rows of shelves in the library, that Lin realised she’d probably been harbouring this confusion for quite some time. Ever since they were children she’d felt a magnetic attraction to the girl, which she’d thought was a product of the intense friendships between their parents. As their relationship shifted towards something more intense and romantic, Lin saw their past interactions in a new light.

God, Kya was a terrible flirt. Too bad Lin liked it so much.

Lin couldn’t be sure whether her advances were genuine, but she suspected she wouldn’t find the answer in the library. Bracing herself, she walked to their oversized room, only to find it empty. She passed the time reading, taking it upon herself to try the Water Tribe novels Kya had brought with them.

She didn’t see Kya until late the next morning, when they began dressing for the wedding reception. The san san ku do was reserved for the Fire Prince’s close family and friends and occurred at first light so as to ensure Agni’s blessing, and the real party would last from early afternoon until late.

Kya opened the door slowly, giving Lin plenty of time to react to her presence. She looked surprisingly well put together, despite the fact she hadn’t returned to their room at all that night.

They stared at each other, frozen for a long moment. Kya walked over to her bags, grabbed the robes and retreated to their ensuite to change. Lin sighed and turned back to the swathes of silk in front of her.

She walks to the bathroom, knocking on the door lightly. ‘Kya?’ she calls softly.

‘What is it, Lin?’ Kya says, obviously frustrated.

‘I don’t mean to bother you, but I haven’t got a clue how to dress myself in all this.’ she admitted sheepishly.

Kya opened the door, her robes hanging open around her neck. Lin averted her eyes quickly, looking away from the almost-translucent undergarments.

At this, Kya raised a suspicious eyebrow. ‘I’m sure you can get into the undergarments by yourself. I’ll adjust it once you’ve got the outer layers on.’ She closed the door again, clearly unimpressed.

Sighing, Lin did just that, standing in the centre of the room, trying and failing to keep track of all the layers and collars as she attempted to tie it closed.

Kya emerged a few minutes later, hair freshly coiffed and robes arranged carefully. She padded over to Lin and immediately began pulling on her robes, adjusting them harshly. She pulled the left collar over the right, tied the first layer at the waist, yanked and tugged at the silks and cottons. Lin thought privately that this didn’t bode well for any confessions or other admissions that may or may not occur today.

‘Kya, that’s too tight, I can barely breathe -’ Lin gasped, struggling to remain gentle as she pushed Kya’s hands away. Frustrated now, she paused to catch her breath. Deciding to bite the bullet, she asked ‘Where were you last night?’

Kya’s gaze turned to the floor, looking sheepish. ‘Bumi had an extra bed in his room. I thought I’d give you some space after… everything, really.’ Here, she looked at Lin. ‘I’m sorry about yesterday. I just thought that, after the ship…’ she trailed off. ‘I’m sorry that I made you uncomfortable, I should’ve known better than to push you too hard.’

Apology over, she moved in to continue fixing Lin’s robes, gentler now. ‘I’m sorry too’ Lin whispered. ‘I overreacted. I was overwhelmed by it all, but I promise it won’t happen again.’ she smiled softly again, catching Kya’s eye.

Kya tied the final belt, gently this time, and stood back to admire her own handiwork. ‘Damn, Beifong. You look good in a robe.’ She smirked, and any lingering tension disappeared and was replaced with a more familiar type.

‘Come on, we’re gonna be late’ Lin rolled her eyes, starting towards the door.

The pair were among the earliest arrivals, and turned heads as they strode in arm-in-arm. Lin let Kya do all of the talking and empathised with all the men who looked starstruck at the sight of her. 

Before long, the married couple arrived, prompting everyone to find their seats. Speeches began, and if it weren’t for Kya’s private commentary Lin was sure she would have nodded off.

‘Kya! You can’t say that!’ she scolded, just barely fighting her own smile. Kya definitely kept Lin entertained. 

They ate a spicy meal, Kya passing her serving of Fire noodles to Lin. ‘What’s the matter, snowflake? Can’t handle a little spice?’ Lin teased.

Kya, red and tearing up, just looked at her with her tongue half out as she fanned herself.

Iroh II and his wife began dancing, choosing a traditional Fire Nation dance recovered after the war. Soon, everyone was out of their seats and mingling, some dancing but most swaying towards cooler parts of the room.

Lin had lost sight of Kya and was chatting with a truly boring Fire Nation official. Just as she was trying (and failing) to end the conversation, Kya bounded over and kissed her on the cheek.

‘Lin! Come meet Anjij, she’s a healer from the North hoping to move to Republic City. You’ve got connections in the clinics, right?’ she said softly, linking their hands and effectively cutting off the man.

‘You’ll have to excuse me, minister, my partner and I have other business.’ She nodded at the man dismissively.

‘Your partner?’ he blurted before they could turn away. Kya stiffened beside her, and she shifted into her widened earthbending stance. ‘You mean to tell me the two of you are - involved?’ he made a face of disgust.

‘Is there a problem with that, Minister Norio?’ Lin said before Kya could interject.

‘How does your workplace feel about your… tendencies? I can’t imagine they look favorably upon such an obvious flaw.’ He continued, completely sure of himself.

Here, Kya spoke up. ‘As a nation independent of the Fire Lord, I’m not sure it matters what you think about homosexuality. The majority of nations now accept it, including your own, and I’m not sure why you think harbouring such a toxic belief will win you any favors.’

‘I’ll be sure to pass this along to the Fire Lord.’ Lin let every ounce of authority bleed into her words. ‘Kya, we were meeting someone?’ She led Kya away, gripping her arm for dear life.

They made it outside where the sun had begun to set, Kya pulling her robes loose once they were out of sight of the ceremony hall. Lin dragged her to a nearby gazebo and sat heavily on the bench. She stared at the ground, hunched over as she tried to find the right words.

‘I can’t believe after all this time I’m still surprised when it happens’ Kya sighed. Lin looked up, moving to comfort her friend. They sat like this for a long moment, Lin’s arm around Kya’s shoulders as she rested on Lin’s chest.

‘I shouldn’t have dragged you into this. I knew better than to expect different, but I was selfish.’ Kya pulled away momentarily and Lin’s heart caught on the word ‘selfish’. ‘This was a bad idea from the start, but I put the opportunity to spend the last few days with you above your comfort.’

Lin tried to catch her eye, hand light on Kya’s jaw. ‘Hey. I asked you to be my date, you didn’t force me to do anything. I knew what I was signing on for.’ She blushed slightly, looking down. ‘Besides, I had a lot of fun with you. Trying new things and all.’

Lin had effectively lightened the mood, Kya smiling slightly. ‘I guess us cloud kids still can’t say no to a Beifong.’ Kya stood, dragging Lin up with her. ‘Come for a walk with me’ she asked, eyes shining in the moonlight. Even the most stubborn airbender couldn’t resist Kya’s charm, Lin thought privately.

So they walked through the extensive palace grounds, Kya pointing out the flowers she used in her line of work. Eventually, they reached a copse of cherry blossoms with a bench and Lin, feeling brave, stopped her before they could sit down.

‘Kya…’ she whispered. ‘I have to ask, before we go back… is this real? Or has everything been part of playing pretend?’

Kya hesitated before answering. ‘Lin, as much as I wanted to help you this weekend, I have to admit I looked forward to spending the time with you. I didn’t want to push you, but after the airship I thought you-’

Lin kissed her, catching her shock as it changed slowly into a smile. ‘Is this okay?’ Lin grinned like a shark, laughing as Kya’s eyes darkened and they exchanged more passionate kisses.

They returned to the reception just in time for cake, slipping back into their seats with only a raised eyebrow from Bumi. Lin got her first dance of the night with Bumi, who finally gave her the shovel talk (not that Kya needed protection) and stepped on her toes a few times too many. Returning to the table, Lin remembered why she was so nervous about starting a relationship with Kya in the first place.

‘Kya…’ she began, hesitant to ruin the good mood that seemed so fleeting. ‘I can’t promise you much once we get back to Republic City. I work late, I’m terrible at keeping on top of dates… It’s part of the reason Tenzin broke up with me.’

‘Well, I’m sure one night a week isn’t too much to ask. You don’t have to do it all alone, Lin. I’ve always been here for you, and I’ll keep being here no matter what form that takes. I can bring you lunches, I can kiss your forehead when you frown too hard, I can provide alternate stress relief’ here, she wriggled her eyebrows suggestively before settling back into a heart-breakingly earnest expression. ‘I’m so grateful that you’ve let me into your heart ever since I was a giggling teenager, and I’m honoured that you let me into your life as a powerful woman.’

Lin felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest. ‘Alright, I get it. Now how about a dance, snowflake?’

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! find me on twitter @kyoshixrangi and tumblr @zukka-supremacy. Again, I'm going ham on the sapphic pairings so if u have any suggestions hit me up!
> 
> as always, kudos and especially comments fuel my fragile ego.


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